Is anyone else troubled by the suspicion that Andy Robinson is hurtling towards the same trap into which Sir Clive Woodward stumbled six months ago?

It is, admittedly, rather too early to write off an England team before they have started their Six Nations Champion-ship campaign but when I saw the side Robinson had chosen for this Saturday's Wales match, I was filled with a familiar sense of anti-climax.

Just as Woodward failed to comprehend that the sport had moved on when he selected his White Lions, Robinson has squandered a vital opportunity to embrace the brave new world of attacking rugby.

New Zealand and, to a lesser extent, Wales have shown that Test union is no longer just about shunt and rumble. Those days ended when Martin Johnson got his hands on the World Cup.

The Welsh demonstrated beautifully in last year's tournament that ball-winning is only the means, not the end, to breaking down opposition defences.

Woodward failed to understand that against the All Blacks and reverted to type by playing the sort of conservative, ball-retention, rugby that was ultimately found wanting.

And, given the rather dull nature of his selection, one has to believe that Robinson has gone down a similar route. The inclusion of Jamie Noon and Mike Tindall at centre suggests his instructions will concentrate more on bashing and less on dashing.

Which is a shame because one of the big criticisms of an otherwise positive autumn international series was that England were too predictable in their build-up play. Pick, drive, pick, drive, pick, drive, spin . . . hope.

All too often, the expectation came to nothing and, although Samoa were ultimately drowned in tries, neither New Zealand nor Australia looked particularly inconvenienced by the prosaic patterns of the England backs.

Which is a massive shame because, unlike some who believe that Robinson's hands were tied once Olly Barkley got injured, I think there are a lot more options in midfield than the head coach wanted to consider.

What about James Simpson-Daniel? Ollie Smith? Moving up Josh Lewsey? Giving Ayoola Erinle the chance his qualities demand? Even taking a punt on a relative novice like Northampton's Jon Clarke?

I wonder if Robinson has been scarred by his poor handling of Mathew Tait and Henry Paul. The resources are there, but does he know how to use them?

Of course, the real problem started when his original training-squad selections lacked inspiration or adventure.

Smith should have been in the original squad - he had a decent Lions tour and is a threatening outside centre - but made only the A team. Erinle has been overlooked altogether and Simpson-Daniel was yesterday left out of the 22.

Instead, we have to hope that Wales are so hampered by the number of their absentees that they will allow Noon or Tindall to hammer their way through.

The solution? Move Lewsey into No 12 and afford Clarke an elevation to the first XV. Give Mark van Gisbergen the full-back berth and pair Mark Cueto with Tom Varndell on the wing.

Van Gisbergen's inclusion would free Charlie Hodgson of the onerous chore of goal-kicking and, suddenly, the English three-quarter line looks genuinely threatening.

The inclusion of Shaun Perry at scrum-half in the place of Harry Ellis would keep opposition back rows a bit more honest and allow Hodgson the time and space to express the full range of his undoubted talents.

He was, after all, the best fly-half on the Lions tour. His performances in the midweek side were a stark contrast to the mundane efforts of Stephen Jones but Woodward, for some reason, was too afraid to set him free.

If Robinson repeats that error then Wales might be beaten this weekend but, in the long term, the world title will be lost.

Surround Hodgson with genuine pace as well as power and England might finally enter the 21st Century.